The World’s Most Bizarre Festivals You Won’t Believe Exist

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A review of The World’s Most Bizarre Festivals and celebrations around the world, from the Tomato Festival in Spain to the scary Mask Festival in Mexico. When you think of festivals, you probably imagine colorful parades, music, and traditional foods. But around the globe, there are some festivals that go far beyond the ordinary. These aren’t just your run-of-the-mill celebrations. They’re strange, wild, and often downright unbelievable. From throwing tomatoes at strangers to jumping over babies, these festivals will make you question everything you thought you knew about cultural celebrations.

Table of Contents

La Tomatina – Spain’s Ultimate Food Fight

First on the list is La Tomatina, a festival that turns the small town of Buñol in Spain into a giant tomato battleground. Every year, on the last Wednesday of August, thousands of people gather to hurl overripe tomatoes at each other. The event lasts for just an hour, but in that time, the streets are painted red with tomato juice. What started as a spontaneous food fight among friends in 1945 has grown into an internationally recognized event. People from all over the world travel to Buñol just to take part in this messy, yet incredibly fun, tradition. There’s no deeper meaning behind La Tomatina. It’s purely for the joy of throwing tomatoes and letting loose.

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Baby Jumping Festival – El Colacho in Spain

Spain seems to have a knack for bizarre festivals, and El Colacho is no exception. Held in the village of Castrillo de Murcia, this festival involves men dressed as devils leaping over rows of babies laid on mattresses in the street. Yes, you read that right—jumping over babies. The tradition dates back to 1620 and is believed to cleanse the infants of original sin, ensuring them a safe passage through life. While it may sound terrifying, the babies remain unharmed, and the villagers see it as a vital rite of passage. It’s a mix of religion, folklore, and adrenaline all wrapped up in one strange event.

Kanamara Matsuri – Japan’s Festival of the Steel Phallus

Next, we travel to Japan for the Kanamara Matsuri, also known as the Festival of the Steel Phallus. This event, which takes place in Kawasaki, is exactly what it sounds like—a celebration of the penis. Originating in the 1600s, it was initially a way for sex workers to pray for protection against sexually transmitted infections. Today, it’s a celebration of fertility, health, and birth, with giant phallic statues paraded through the streets, and everything from lollipops to keychains shaped like male genitalia being sold. It’s bizarre, it’s bold, and it’s uniquely Japanese.

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The Monkey Buffet Festival – Thailand’s Feast for Monkeys

In Thailand, they take hospitality to a whole new level with the Monkey Buffet Festival. Held in the town of Lopburi, this festival is a feast not for humans, but for the local monkey population. Over 4,000 kilograms of fruits, vegetables, and sweets are laid out on tables, towers, and even sculptures, all for the monkeys to enjoy. The festival was started in 1989 as a way to attract tourists and celebrate the monkeys, which are considered good luck. The monkeys, long regarded as sacred animals, swarm the area, indulging in the bountiful feast laid out for them. It’s a sight to behold, and a reminder that festivals don’t always have to be about human enjoyment.

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The Festival of Near-Death Experiences – Spain’s La Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme

Spain makes another appearance on this list with La Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme, a festival dedicated to near-death experiences. Held in the small town of Las Nieves, this event is for people who have had brushes with death in the past year. These individuals are carried in open coffins through the streets as a sign of gratitude to Saint Martha, the patron saint of resurrection. The festival is a mix of the solemn and the surreal, with people thanking the saint for sparing their lives while others watch the procession in awe. It’s a festival that blurs the line between life and death, and one that’s deeply rooted in the local culture.

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The Thaipusam Festival – A Test of Faith in Malaysia

In Malaysia, the Thaipusam festival is a powerful display of devotion and endurance. Celebrated by the Tamil Hindu community, this festival involves acts of extreme body piercing and self-mortification. Devotees pierce their bodies with hooks, skewers, and spears as they carry large, ornate structures called kabaddis as offerings to the deity Murugan. The festival, which takes place in January or February, sees thousands of participants in a trance-like state, enduring immense pain as a sign of their faith. While it may be difficult to watch, Thaipusam is a deeply spiritual event that showcases the lengths people will go to in the name of their beliefs.

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The Festival of Colors – India’s Holi Celebration

Not all bizarre festivals are intense or strange. Some are simply joyful and filled with color, like India’s Holi festival. Known as the Festival of Colors, Holi is celebrated with the throwing of colored powders, dancing, and singing in the streets. The festival marks the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. What makes Holi stand out is the sheer exuberance of it all. People of all ages and backgrounds come together to celebrate, forgetting their differences and immersing themselves in a riot of color. It’s a festival that’s both visually stunning and emotionally uplifting, making it one of the most beloved and unique celebrations in the world.

The Underwater Music Festival – Florida’s Subaquatic Symphony

In Florida, the Underwater Music Festival is a one-of-a-kind event that combines music with marine conservation. Held in the waters of the Florida Keys, this festival features musicians who don scuba gear and perform underwater. The event, which started in 1985, aims to raise awareness about the fragile marine ecosystem while providing a surreal experience for participants. The music is piped through underwater speakers, creating an otherworldly concert for divers and snorkelers alike. It’s a festival that’s as much about the environment as it is about the music, and it offers a unique way to experience the ocean’s beauty.

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The Lantern Festival – Taiwan’s Glowing Celebration

Last but not least is Taiwan’s Lantern Festival, a breathtaking event that lights up the night sky with thousands of glowing lanterns. Held on the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, the festival sees people releasing lanterns into the sky as a symbol of letting go of the past and welcoming the future. Each lantern carries a wish or prayer, and as they float upwards, they create a stunning display of lights. The festival is both serene and magical, offering a beautiful way to celebrate the new year and hope for good fortune in the months ahead.